Understanding and Troubleshooting the Blue Screen of Death

Has your screen gone completely blue and is showing an error? It means that you have just encountered the issue of BSoD (blue screen of death), which is never good. However, panic is unnecessary as not all hope is lost. There are different things that you can try to resolve this issue.

There can be different reasons behind BSoD, such as ageing hardware or software incompatibilities. With the help of Windows diagnostics tools, you can resolve these issues. Let’s learn more about resolving this death screen problem and optimizing your computer for better efficiency.

What is BSoD (Blue Screen of Death)?

Firstly, it is better to get a comprehensive idea of what a BSoD is. The Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) is a system error on Windows. It’s a screen with a blue background displaying an error message, typically indicating a severe system issue that requires attention.

In some cases, the BSOD means that Windows has a crucial issue and can no longer run safely. However, it’s often caused by minor problems you can quickly resolve. Here are some standard Windows stop codes:

•  0x0000007B (INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE) – Occurs when the operating system can’t access the system partition during startup.
•  0x00000050 (PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA) – Signifies that a system process or driver attempted to access a memory location it shouldn’t.
•  0x0000003B (SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION) – Points to a system service running in kernel mode, causing an exception.
•  0x0000001A (MEMORY_MANAGEMENT) – Indicates a problem with the computer’s memory (RAM).
•  0x0000000A (IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL) – Shows a kernel-mode method or driver tried to access a memory address to which it didn’t have permission.

How Do You Resolve the Blue Screen of Death Issue?

There are other issues on your computer screen. It may be challenging for you to resolve all of these issues individually. Luckily, our guide below gives you a one-stop solution for fixing the blue screen of death related problems.

Shut Down and Restart Your Computer

Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve a few problems. If the BSOD is a one-time occurrence, restarting may fix the problem.

Disconnect Any Devices

Before rebooting, disconnect any extra USB hard drives, HDMIs, printers, or any other devices except the keyboard and mouse. It is because these devices might have been behind the system crash.

Boot into Safe Mode

It is essential to restart your PC to boot it into Safe Mode. It helps determine if the issue is related to third-party drivers or software. Press F8 during startup or use the Shift + Restart combination in the Start menu.

If the issue started after installing new hardware or software, uninstall or remove it. Remove the hardware to check if it resolves the problem. For the software, you can try the following steps:

Step 1 – Type “add or remove programs,” by clicking on the Windows

Step 2 – Search the app that you want to remove and select uninstall.

If there are any unusual programs or apps, consider removing them. However, search for the name of the app, program, or feature beforehand so you don’t uninstall any essential Microsoft software.

Update Device Drivers

Outdated or incompatible drivers can cause BSODs. Therefore, you should update drivers for graphics cards, network adapters, and other critical components. Look for “Device Manager” after pressing the Windows key. After that, you must right-click on the device and click “Update driver.”

Check for Malware

There is a possibility that the malware is the primary reason behind corrupt files or critical process disruption, leading to a system crash. So, you should perform a thorough malware scan using reputable antivirus or antimalware tools. Also, use a trusted antivirus program to scan your system.

Run System File Checker (SFC)

Conducting a System File Checker (SFC) scan will help you ensure that all your system files have a proper configuration for Windows to operate normally. To run an SFC scan, open Command Prompt and run SFC/scannow to find and repair corrupted system files. Here is what you need to do to run a SFC:

• Step 1 – Press Windows + X
• Step 2 – Select Command Prompt (Admin)

Step 3 – Run the command

Run CHKDSK Utility

Another thing that you can do is run a CHKDSK utility. It will help you examine every element of your hard drive. Doing so will allow the system to spot any errors and fix/index them to stop them from creating issues or crashes related to performance, such as the dreaded BSoD. Here’s how to run a CHKDSK scan.

Step1-PressWin+X
Step 2 – Select Command Prompt (Admin)